Game apparatus



A. WEINBERG GAME APPARATUS Feb. 23, 1932.

Filed Dec. 12, 1929 Patented Feb. 23, 1932 UNITED, STATES ALEXANDER wnmnnne, or new YORK, v. Y. ,1,

GAME urarm'rus Application filed December 12,1929. Serial No. 418,581. 3

My invention relates to games or amusement devices in which a ball or missile is used, both in solitaire and social games. And my object is two-fold, viz :first, the provision of 5 a ball propelling or driving device that will enable a great variety of blows or strokes to be administered, and involve the exercise of skill; and,second, the provision of a game board with characteristics of layout and construction that cooperate with said driving or propelling device.

My invention consists in whatever described by or is included within the terms or scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings a Fig. 1 is a perspective view of game apparatus embodying my invention both as to the propelling device or propeller and the board; v i

Fig. 2 is a cross section thereof;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the ball propeller;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section thereof, with balls shown in dotted lines to illustrate some of the strokes that are possible.

My propelleris a rotary device that comprises a stem or shaft, 10, having a handle portion at one end for convenient grasping by the fingers or hand, and at theother end having or forming a center or pivot, 11, about which the propeller, resting on a bearing surface, may be partially revolved, and also having at or adjacent the pivot end, a radial wing or wings to engage theball in play. Preferably, there are two. such wings, 12, that are diametrically opposite, each being bladelike with one or both sides fiat and standing vertically, or substantially vertically when in ball-engaging position to project the ballin a more or less horizontal direction, over the surface of the game board on which the ball is played.

Preferably each wing is adjustably con nected with the stem or shaft, 10, to enable its ball-striking face to be set at an angle,

if desired, so that, for example, it may give a lift to the ball when it strikes it, to cause the ball to move in a curve or trajectory which will carry it over obstacles on the game board, or to increase the distance of the stroke. In

this case, the striking surface will be slight 1y oblique to the direction of swing or turn of the propeller on its axis. To this end, each wing has at its inner end aroundstem, 13, which snugly fits a round hole in the stem, so that it willbe held friction tight against accidental turning, but may readily permit turning of the wing by suchforce as can be applied by the fingers, An excellent arrangement is to bore a diametrically extending hole through the stem .or shaft, and to place in it a split spring metal tube, 14:, which is slightly larger in diameter than the hole so as to require compression to thrust it into the hole to causeit to grip the walls thereof. The stem, 13, inserted in the tube, 14, is gripped thereby with the desired pressureto hold the wing force at the desired angle. a

The bearing center or pivot, 11, may be a convexly rounded block of rubber, or other material, orit may be a suction cup of rubher, with enough lateral flexibility inits connection with-the shaft,10, as to permit the placing of the latter at the most advantageous slant or angle for driving the ball. And preferably the pivot or fulcrum end of the propeller is the heavier, sothat-its momentum or force may thereby be increased when turned to drive the ball. V

In using the ropeller, its shaft, 10, is grasped between 'ngers and thumbs (if small enough for that) and its pivot .or fulcrum end placed against game board orsother surface on which the ball rests, and in thatposition relative to the ball, which in the judgment of the player,.will enablethe wing to engage the ball to propel it in the desired direction. This may, as shown in Fig. 4, exert force on the ball at the outer'end or tip of the Wing so as to cause the ball to spin or rotate on its axis and thus result in a curved ball, or a; ball that moves in a curved path. Or the ball may be engaged further inward of the wing and receive no turning impulse. The axis of the shaft, 10, may be vertical, or oblique, or slanting." By pres-. sure exerted endwise on the shaft, its pivot, 11, will be friction resist turning and so by the extra elfort made by the player to turn the shaft, a-ndthe sudden release of the endadversary players, each with a propeller, it

isdesirable to stop or check a delivered ball,

and to provide for that action or playfone side of each wing may have a ball cupv or catcher, 15, that may consist simply of a v shaped. pocket fastened to the wing at. its apex, with a space between the diverging sides of the V of a size to receive the ball and" prevent its glancing oifthe wing, asit would do if it struck a plane, flat face.

- The gameboard'shown in. Figs. 1 andv 2 is. specially suited for use with my propeller, but I, of course, do not limit myself to the propeller per se with anyone game board. a

The game board shown has a flat, oblong table, 16, with cups or pockets of various kinds spread over its surface, and at opposite sides it has an upwardly and outwardly inclined flange, 17, to which one or more traps or pockets are secured. Said traps or pockets are each a curved wire, 18, with a l'eg,19, at eachend that is attached to the flange at separated points lengthwise thereof, with the wire, 18, spaced above the flange, so as to forma basket with an open side and top, and at an angle, or incline, into-which a ball may be thrown by the propeller acting board. Byreason of the great flexibility in the application of the propeller tothe ball, it is,

possibleto make the somewhat diflicult play required tocast the ball into-the basket. l he basket has alength to hold several balls at a time, and'spacesare numbered so-as togi've a score value to each 'ball retained in the basket. For example 5 for one ball, 10 for two balls; and 20 for-threeballs.

On the plane or flat'area of the board are several solid walled cups, 20, each marked with'ga score value, and several openwall cups, each formed by spaced pegs on posts, 21, that are made of coil springs, so'- that'they are flexible and resilient to add to the. difficulty of placing'a ball in the cup so formed, for. if the ball strikes a flexible post, 21, it

may rebound therefrom..

The far corners of the game boardmay be c oncavely curved to provide surfaces for caromw p ays of the balls. r

" My propeller maybe made of a sizet'o' play balls of two, or more inches in diameter, and in that case, the handle part of the shaft may have radial arms for: grasping by. the hand to. rotatethe propeller. i p

;With the complete apparatusshownin the plane face, and on an; oppositeside a cup,

endeavors to drive the ball into any selected one of the pockets and the numerical value of the pocket in which he happens to place the ball 1s,noted,and at the conclusion ofthe number of, plays determined on the sum of the values of the various pockets is taken as the score. When two ormore persons play the one, making the highest score will be the victor. V WhatI claim 1. A missile propeller comprising a shaft havinga handlejend anda pivot. end, and a blade-like,;flat.-sided missile-contacting member extending radially outward from the. shaft adjacent the pivot end the flat sideof the memberextending radially and axially of the shaft, and the shaft being rotatable, on its pivot end by a twirling motion exerted by the fingers on the handle endthereof'.

2.: Amissile propeller comprising a shaft; having a handle end and a pivot end, and oppositely projecting fiat-sided, blade-like: missile-contacting wings: adjacent the pivot en 3. A missile propeller comprising a, shaft having a handle end and-1a pivot. end, and a blade-like oblong missile-contacting member extending radially outward from they shaft' having a plane missile-contacting face.

4. A missile propeller comprising a; shaft; having a handle end anda pivot, end, and. a bladed-like, flatrsidcd' miSsile-contacti'ngmember extending radially outward from the shaft having a plane missile-contacting: face, adjustable to. different angles in relation to.) the axis of the handle.

5. A. missile propeller comprising a shaft having a handle end and a pivot end, and a missile-contacting. member extending outtward from the shaft having on one, side a 6;, Game 1 apparatus-comprisinga missile propeller and aboard providingasupport for the latter-having'an upwardly and out" wardly inclined, basket supporting surface on the margin thereof saidboard'havin'g' a. planemissile directing surface leadingto: the; inclined marginthereof; v V

In. testimony whereof'l hereunto aflix signature.

ALEXANDER: wnnannies. 

